Molding press



M. E. GATES MOLDING PRESS Nov. 9, 1943.

Fild Oct. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet l O 4 sheets-'sheet 2 Nov. 9, '1943. M. E. GATES MOLDING PRESS Filed oct. 13, 1941 Nov. 9, 1943. M. E. GATES MOLDING PRESS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 15, 1941 ign. g emu.

wm N faz/enger? M65/bz* AGczes Nov. 9, 1943. 'l M. E. GATES MOLDING PRESS Filed oet. 13, 1941 4 sheets-sheet 4 `Patented Nov. '9,Y 1943 l y I2-f f 2,334,082fl f Elj' Y ffn`yz,ee4,oezf-f `iiiflllING PRESS? *y f Maier-*Eej Gates', orysssiLake, mi. Applicatimoctobe113,1941;.seriam..levee n tio'les and; among-:foulerobjects," aims ftol improve thevquaility; ciw-.the fproduetand-l :to ir'nproveethe f facture.o

Tluefnatureoftheinvention may bereadilyunefderstoodfbwreferenoe rtofoneillustrativeapparatus f embodyiriaaheinvention andshowninftheaccom;

. l Vl0:

l Figzffisa diag-ram.-illustratingfsuccessive toggle 15` positions;` i I ing another adjustment of` the mechanisme and.

Figai'zisiaisectional elevationffsimilan .tof-that 2Q ofilig: 1,. .illustratingrfa fdiierent formf :of apra paratus: L

In the'. manufacture offre-:brick: andy similar refractory .jartieles ithefqual yf-of thefproductfisi improve@ by 'incr-ease infintimaoyor extentfiofA 25 however.; because-of; .ainpresentl inftlnel clay; In-r the. clay.visiielativelyfdry? The air escapes .until-1l tliefolay.` has beencompresseduto --wit 5tof10%-1,- ot itsPnallvolumey.atten.Whiohath ainescapes with..difficultyandonlyrveryslovvly:n If alloiwsuIo-f stantiallyall'of 'the'air were removedigf'romthg 401 mo clay., -var y.. much .liighverfI :pressures-` than aref now permissible. cou1d..be\ Iused ywith the results-that 1 the..quality o:..!tlde .brick swouldrlbe-greatly iin-- proved. Vll/Ioreove;small-internalflavvsgenerallyi caused ..by. subsequent.. emia'nsiony .otq airsuponj 1're- I 45.

lea-Senf pressure .vvlould-l,bel.absent. The l quality., ofthe ..b11ick could be` improved.: simply. bly.. allowing.. a'. longer.. time. fon .thee particles.0f'o1ay,to.slide over` .each otlieuinto; more' intimateecontact' and.. for ther residueotair .to-v 501 escape. This,.however, is` obviouslyfimpracticablei since vitwvvou-lda-require thatntlie apparatusbe stopped-.during its.` cycle s of-.coperaton f :while-fthe.

1 clay.fwasundempressume: In r.thepillustrativ'e:apei

paatuethe .ilualiffysfofathebrickqis improved byu` 55e? modifying-.the o 4ole of operaticrisWithout educf-` ing thepspeedfof operation. H A r .-,The-inventiomis here shown embodiedjna` press-similar.tothewell-knownoyd press.. The' efci'encwofathe apparatusland I,metlo'odfof manu-1` 5 I 987,124. In the ordinary Boydpresswhchl-.is a

toggle press,-,maximum. pressure on` the clay (Which-.odeurssubstantially vvhenthe toggle arms aren alignmentor 4at deadenter) 4is ,onlymo; mentary andi-even `v'vitlo'qthe application `of jsuc-` tion there is insumcient timein the cycle to .allow forg escape of'vair.` The illustrative apparatus utifV lizesl'the .principles vof the Boydtogglepress :but modiiies-.the'oycle of. operation so that a very` muchylongerwportion. oftl1e lcycle is devotedto` applying.` higlmpressure'. to. the zolay and. `holding the sameunder-high pressureiora period-adequat-e `to .effect almuch'greater elimination. ofaii.- Therillustrative pressalso .is oapableloivery exe.. tensive `.vguiation in. its .(cycle to adjust the .cycleto Atlie ,particular .condition and. qualities of'` the.

Clav. used. Only-.those details@ ef fihe-BQys-Press I l mechanism as are involved inthe illustrative apr! fparatusare illustrated..

lrigeneral.thepressoomprises arnoldV I Il whose sid restatioiiary..` The upper and lower` `faces.

iI land. r.I 2lof...the.rnoldare movable relatively; toA

eaelfotlieiyand to .thestationary--sides of mold` Tleupperface isicarried on a; plunger I3 connected .topairs ofvt'oggle arms. I5 and `I 6.1 The. lattenarelpivoted .at .their .upper ends..l.7 toa.

cross-head I3 oormeotd tothesidebars I4... The itlis-difficult forall .the .air-:vte fescape. eVe'n-.vvflienf` 35;

4rlfiea'd ,2 @whenthebrick is beingcompressed.` g The cros's-headuextends betweenland Vis..oon:riec`:t`ed ,to

:11111112 "amine 1, Stationary sides .moi/@Smith the. relative .movement of "thelupper andf lower faces. .AIs inithe typical vBoyd press..the e117..

tire .assembly fof.A plungers, 'toggle links and.. side,

oally, sli'dable inguidesy. in side bars I4 and. A

A single mold located between pairs of toggle links and connecting rods. The regulation of presf sures can be much more effective with a single .mold than with the multiple mold of the typical Boyd'v press. Reciprocation fof the toggle link assembly for discharge of the brick and' lling the mold is effected as inthe conventional Boyd press by means of the cam rollers 21 which square inch. However, the principle of prolong-a-l tionof maximum pressures or modification of the conventional toggle pressure pattern may be l' readily grasped by notingthat oscillation vof thel serve asiulcrums for connecting rods 22 to raise and -lower'the mold at the proper time in lthe cycle. Generallythe connecting rod has'a cam surface 28 on Vits lower face so as appropriately tomodiiy the action of the connecting rod ini After nal compression of: the brick, the assembly is ele-r raising and lowering plunger i3.

intermediate link 4T even without longitudinal` movement of the connecting rod wouldrproduceV Y very markedchanges in the pressure exerted by Y, the `toggle where, as above pointed out,v slighty movements such as .001 are material. i

#For example, to prolongftheapplication of high( pressure on the brick without. increasing the-duration of the complete cycle, it is simply necessary tov oscillate link 41 during the'period" whenthe toggle arms are in the region of alignvated (the toggle links opening toV raisev Athe plungerv I3 above the brick) to bring` the lower face of the mold iiush with the upper surface Y 29 of the press table. The brick is then laterally shifted on to, the table by the'reciprocating hopper ,'3I wliseorward end 32 acts as a plunger. Immediately thereafter plunger l2y is lowered by a` predetermined' distance while the hopper is located over the' mold, and a cl'iargev of clay from theinte'ror of the-hopper fills the mold. There-1 after the` hopper isretracted and the toggle arms areclosed'to `compress the brick-` Adjustment ofthe amount of clayplaced in the mold' is yeffected by varying the elevation ofthe face `l2 ofthe lower plunger at'the time then charge isfdeposite'dtherein. Inthe present case, asI infthe Boyd press,` this is effected by constructing the. plunger i9 to move vertically The relative to the'4 saddle ory cross-head 20. plunger is resiliently urged upwardly by spring 33. fThe' position of itsupper movement'at the time of chargingfth'e mold is controlled by lever 34.1 Lever 534 isY-pivoted at '35 to a bracket36.

It'swforward vend 31 engages a stop 3,8 on'rod 39 depending vfrom 'the plunger. vThe other end of 'thejlvelve'r is verticallyradjusted by a screw 40. Adjusting' svcrew'may berotated manually as lin the vconver'itional Boyd press or `automatically ashereshown. r'The details, of this automatic adjustmentare disclosed in my copending application, Serial No.l 307,427;v A description lofsuchV details" is not' necessary for, present purposes.

ySpring SSj'urictio'ns falso to effect `some pre-` j ment and at the same time to carry the toggle' arms through or past their dead center. 'Y In Figs. 2 and 3, one set of conditions is illusf trated diagrammatically. Figure 3 represents, nine successive positions of the toggle arms, the

intermediate link 41, and the crank whenthe. toggle arms are` inthe region` of alignment or near a lignment,"i.` e'. where high lpressures'are being exerted; `rThe respectivespositions lare cor-i respondinglyl numberedonl the crank clrelefroxri-y 0 to 8. 'The toggle deadj centeriisl represented'by the dot and dash linel DC, `connecting the 'upperr and lower-bearings of the toggle. For simplication andI to permitillustration`on'.a'larger'ii l v scale, only the position ot-,theintermediat-link M and its relation totoggle deadi center:y is illus-"1l trated, the connecting rod and'main toggle links having'been omitted; the correspondingA posi` tions `have been shown on the crank circlej'inr FiglZ. Also'incorporatedii thediagram lisa pressure chart showing the pressure patternor the relative pressures developed at successive poi-1 sitions Ofgthetoggle andlink. The chartis', of course, fragnlentary,v embracing-only the high bushings'48andf49-at the respective toggle connections. .Itwill be'apparent thatfrelative' rota-f tion` ofthese'v-"eccentric"bushingswill shift ther compression of thecl'ay under relatively light pressures; *"100 `poundsor 'less per square inchy during the movementl lof the lower rplunger I9 against the' saddle 20.*( K While this precompression'serves to eliminate someain the physicalV limitations on 'the sparingl prevent' development;

fectiv'e A'for this purpose.

of pressures Ahighj enough. to.l be substantially efthejc' nv'entional Boydpress but are connected by'an intermediateflink 41,', in this 'case` integral inconjunctin withjthe' movement of the connectingl.roelv` permit'syavery .substantial alteration O fhe typical:Dressureyclegf iheBOyd Press andjmakes j'rit possible, i among many variations, to 1 3`rolong-the maximurnpressur'es exerted on the Yclayjjfor; a very vvksfl'ibstantial Vportion of the cycle. fBeca )offu the very slightvlongitudinal movementof'thertogglesas they approach alignment or vvdeadV 'centerfff it y is diicult to illustrate y byA conventional means what takes place, particularlyasr'egards the pressure pattern ory cycle. Even such aslightimovemelnt as .001 has averyprnounced eiect'onthe.pressures whicl rea'clr the neighborhood iof'5,000or6,000 pounds 111er dead'fcenter. fAlthough the intermediate link' crosses the deadlcenter line in the aforesaid posi-- tions,ipeak pressures are not'develope'd *becauseofy nl the :angler of theinterxrieeialimkffremuveftoi p'ivot 'centers of the intermediate link lrelative toI thefconnecting rod and thereby permitting such adjustment asmaybe necessary under varylngj cc'mditiofnsfA Also` for purposes' of adjustmentthe7 connect-ing rod Vbearings 23 'arprovided with'f-X i meansin thel form of'eccentric vbushings'lll which;

willpermit adjustmentfin the position of linkinv relative'to the dead center line. i The charactre? the pressure pattern depends in part *on the dis-f piacementofiink '4r from dead 'genterr'whue it Infboth diagramsfof- Figs; 3 Vand 51the fsuceesjl' l sive'','po's'iti'orisI D 'to f'finclusiv.. representi (asl shownjin Figsyzad 4) g increments 'orti-nrs; crank angle beginning with r'20 before 1 ne'arffv` crank dead center and :continuing to 'ZQpast-dead center. `In the adjustment representedfinvFig'. .y thebushing 50 is set' so that the intelzrmediate,link` 41 vdoes not pass entirely through dead .,center In pt isi'tionsf2 3, -4` and 5, the lower vportioirofj thefintermediate link crosses the` deadhzenter` f line but theV upper 'portion-never passes through the usas eeaisr'liaesl 1sabstanuauyiiigner presthereto higher pressuresdevlop. LItvvilllclentcizd itnatlrhe'peakpressure 'does not teneur askinv the "`veonveritiona1 apparatus) at cral adem-ier, wliichsathe pres-enneagram fisico-ducale, since *intrus pesiion the inteiiediatej'link lis-netpar- H'aille'l toftlre tleaceriterline ilnjit il,iesf'atran 'angle ibthereto. NL'IM theregiondi prai'r`1f"`dead cenfter; the intermediajtelirijk llf-T swings at its Lhightest arate but ibeginning"with position 4 it simultaneously moves awayfrom the 'dead centerfline thus attening out the pressure curve. u

f Tne pressure curvesuperposed'ion ythe diagram :represents only relative pressures. l pressures depend upon the volume of clayfin 'fthe mo'ld.' `ndicated on tire jaja-gram V'in inchesjare ithe"suecessivedisplacemerrtg of the Y'cent-,erLof-the intermediate "link 'irorntthe -dead 'eenter 4"line but these 3are significant Unly `for 'the "specific Cadjust- Absolute ment T crank bushingib and fthe" dimensi'onsf'of intermediate lik; "connecting rodi crank diamelterand"teg-gielinks inthe illurative "appara-4 ftusgtheiritemeuiate flink ist?? iafiehgtnpius uer minus theaujustmenrerreeteu by "me bushings itiranti die. ""The 'connectingfrod V'22 is "48E/T? in and the reggiana-ks sans sja-ars 120mm length.

sustedan#changemeerfeetiveangiefbetwe' una termediate link 'lto the'riglitas 'compared with :thearrangement'grf'rigi31solt1atlink 4,1 passes "notedfthat iin-"position "0 flink ffl 'already "sub- 'st'antiallyjdi'splacedf totiieri'ght of the 'dead een# ter lune. s This Y vadjustm'erit Vper'oyifdc-:s a ',prlessure somewhat beyond position 8, in whichv position the pressure is still rising.

The extent and duration of relaxed pressures in the high compression zone may be varied by the distance by which the intermediate link is carried through the toggle dead centerposition.`

The maximum displacement in the arrangement of s Fig.5 occurs in the region of position 4 and is approximately 3A; of an inch. An increase in this distance would further relax the pressures and a decrease would minimize .the relaxation.

. Whether or not relaxation in pressure during the high compression zone is desirable depends largely upon the character and condition of the clay. s n v s It will be apparent from the foregoing, rst, that the high compression 'Zone can be extended over a substantiallygreater portion of the crank s @s "circle `than Yhias `Ailieen possible withithe ficorvenincreasingthe-opportunity lfor @the Jparticles of elay to '-sifide en 'one another finto'fmore intimate 5 irelationsrp, -resulting in @a denser product fand lelim-inalti-ng1algreaterlameunt of fair; and, second,

what almost `ian find'eIil-te "variation fin' pressure "pattern li-s possible I`'to'. tufee-t varying -vconditions. l

kA'somewfhat di-Herent apparatus 'illustrated-in `='"1ig.f.=1li.v Asth'erei'shownl a{hydra11li'c'cylinierf`f60 fand 'Titsvjplurrgeritl are locate'd Sbelow 'fthe Ilower @mold 'plunger lf2 and'fprovide a 1means for protecting the brick against excessive-pressures. "The cylinder contrlil'ed'fby @an 'adjustable 7relief V means set ito yieldwhen ra predet'ennined-maxipressurelhasineen-applied to the brick( As "stated iaibovejtl'ie maximum lpressure applied vto 'the 'f-bri'ck depends 'upon thefam'ountf ofgainreimnginfthelbriek. jSolong-asia'ny air remains, gothere "is 'always danger4 `that high lpressures will y"develop lexcessive -compression in the kminute amount `oli air remain-ing 'intfhe Abrick withithe resul-tf? a ight-hssuresandiflaws"willbecaused 'Hehe-e; "it '1s importanti that higfl'i `pressures' be f2s-controlled solas notto produce-subsequent laws. "For-eah "'ccfin'di'tiori4 of '-cl'ay, therefis -gnenrallyia different A'air `i1=zfs1d1`ie "in the brik,"for which the @maximum jsai'eujpressure imust be appropriately i reo, The means iism-here shown in the 44ferm The ldiagram' or fFig. 5 illustrates, Vparticularly "hypompafrisonwith that of Fig.. 3, 'the 'e'flfe'ct of various adjustments :fon "'thedzegglej mechanism.

pressure "applied through line 'tu AIj and *when L the 'pressures on the brick "exceeds ja predeter- "afnount of "oil will `rescape Afrom' the vcylinder" througlfline"E 1 "finfto "storage "tank: 68. "4o` g iro `-permit hemel ffunctipning orarie `meld plui'igerfl'ilatptherftirnesinthe cycle, the pressureion ithefva'jlve 'piston "65 l'is Arelieyed by means er waive its; Lspan-gj im s i-QW piston --as 'than "opensvalve "62. "The "mold plunger l2 is resiliently/elevated in thisinstan'celby air pressure.` on "thefoi'l'fin reservo'iri JThis air pressure .may "f'advantageouslyapplygreaterfforce to theplunger th'an ijspossible Vwith a'n ordinary springf'like "springfBSLg and lihflS lallow 'a jvery 'substantially iiighe'rfprec 'ripressionofthe clay as the' mold plunger is zorcedown 't'o its bottom position, with the resultant greaterelimination ofV air. y

When this position is reached, valve 62 is' auto-` matically closed (by operation of valve 63) and 5 5 air pressure 1s placed on piston 65 to prevent further downward movement of the mold plunger until the aforesaid predetermined maximum is reached. Valve 69 is advantageously automatically operated, vin this case by cam 1| on crank shaft 25. The precompression pressures exerted on the clay in the mold may be adjusted by adjusting the air pressure in storage tank 68. When cam 'H allows valve 69 to rise, the latter cuts offthe air pressure supply'and opens line 66 to exhaust, thereby releasing valve EL Still further modication `of the pattern of pressures exerted by the toggle may be effected by varying (during different phases of each cycle) 0 7 predetermined phases of the cycle of toggle operations) the maximum pressure at which the mold plunger will yield; Ordinarily such elaboration of variation in pressure pattern will not be necessary. However, even when functioning to pre- 'ft'ional toggle lanrangenientfitherebygreatly i the pressures in air line 66, thereby changing (for i vent `;appl'icatinriof` too high; pressures., thermdgraulic l cylinder will modify the -pres,suregpatternl For as soon as thepredetermined'A maximum `pressureis reached, the pressure'pattern will be ,aistraight line, Without rise or'fallforsolong` 'as the toggles are able tomaintain thepressure.

Obviously the `invention -is lnot Vflimitedzto the details` off the illustrative apparatus since these may bevariouslygmodied. vlVlo-reover, itis not .rindispensable that all features of theinvention lbe.usedconjointly since VariousA features may be usedto advantage diierent combinations and sub-combinations. gf

,Having described my invention, I claim: j

. Y A1.'In a press or Ithe like forcompressing `ma-` terials of varying` character, the combination comprising toggle arms forapplying and releasingl compression ony the material,` a link connecting said jtoggle-f, arms, Vmear-is-for sW-ingingvsaid linkto modify the operation of saidtogglel arms, and means for adjusting the character of cornpression tothe material compressed by adjusting theangle'of saidy link to said swingingmeans.

Y `2.V Inra press or the. like kforcompressing materials;` ofVv varying character, the combination L,comprising toggle arms for applying andlreleasinggcompression. -on the materiaka link ybetween and connecting the togglev arms, an Voperating member connected with said link for operating said toggle arms, means for reciprocating and y v oscillating said member .to swing and reciprocate said link, and gmeans for adjusting the effective p angle betweensaid link and saidoperatingmemt ber to adjust the character of. compression to the material compressed. l.

, 3. In a :press or the .like Afor-compressing ina- Eterialsof varying character, Athe, combination comprising toggle arms for. applying pressure, a link betweenv said YAiloggleiarms, a connecting rod f extendingfrom saidlink for operating said togglev p arms, and rmeans for Varying theangular relation between said connecting rod and said toggle arms l for modifying the pattern of they pressures exerted by said toggle arms in accordance with the characteristics of the material.k c e Y c 4.k In a presser the like for compressing materials of yvarying character, the combination ,comprising toggle arms for applying pressure,.a

link betweensaid toggle arms, a connectinglrod extending from said link for operating said ,tog-glei arms, and means includingeccentric bushings in raises the hydraulic pressure-in said cylinder" ,toa

. the bearings between said link Yandthe respective toggle armste adjust the effective angle ofdrsaid link relative to saidtogglevarms forfvarylngthe Y pressure patternin .accordance with the'vcliaracter of: the materiaL. y,

5.*In a press Vorbthelike for compressing terialsy of varyingV characteristics, the*` colnliinae-r tion comprising toggle arms, a'linkbetvveenfs'alid toggle arms,- a consnesting4 rod extending from Said link; for' @per,2i/laineSeidi gg1eirrvvgenkl Y for operating said vconnected rod, and an eccentric bushing .in the bearing between saidconnecting rod and crankior adjustingtheconnectingi'od f relative tothe dead center positionoi 'said toggle arms.

n 6. In a'pressorthelikdthe combination cornprising togglefarma'a support against .Whichsaid` toggl'ef arms operate', a hydraulic cylinder .and piston on which saidsupportis mountedameans' for ,closing said cylinder.againstdscharge below l a predetermined pressure, andmechanismrehdering said' means inoperative duringaportion of the cycle to allow said support-toyield -under J the pressure of said toggle,arms.-

Y '7. In afpress.orithe'likathe combination corn-3 `prising toggle arms`,a movable supportrfor. as`

suming the thrust vof said toggle arma hydraulic piston and cylinder carrying saidisupport, means A for' applying a` predetermined, pressure in vsaid cylinder, and pressure responsive" means opera,- tivey during a ,portion of `the cycletoclose-,sald hydraulic cylinderA to "prevent substantial relative movement of piston and cylinder Vunder the pressureofsaid togglearmsj 8.v 1n a press or the like, the combination comlimited, resilient pressures, and -.mechanism. for

cutting voif saidhydraulic cylinder duringla por-v tion of the cycle offoperationsfto arrestrfurther" movement of saidy support, ,said mechanismV in-r cluding relief :meansI toczrelieve '.said hydraulic cylinder when the operationof said toggle. arms predetermined maximum, thereby to limitithe Y maximum-pressure exerted by saidpress.V 50 y y n 

